Obituary
George William Bennett, age 78, of Huntsville went to be with his Lord on March 16, 2022 after a seven year battle with Primary Progressive Aphasia. He was a native of Huntsville and a longtime businessman.
Visitation will be from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Monday, March 21 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church. Mass will follow with Father Michael Mac Mahon officiating. Burial will follow at Maple Hill Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife Corrinne Cowley Bennett; his daughter Jeannie Bennett Russell and husband Danny; his son Jeffrey Strong Bennett and wife Geraldine; his stepchildren Nancy Lee Tate Chapman and husband Chris; William Tate, Jr. and wife Laura; grandchildren Olivia Cole, Jamieson & Rowe Bennett, Kersten O'Steen, Emilee Castrejon, Sophia Pospelov and Liam Tate; great-grandchildren Hayes O'Steen (for whom George and Corrinne acted as Guardians), Noah & Emma Castrejon; his brother Steven A. Bennett and wife Mary; and several nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents Bernard G. Bennett, Sr. and Jeannie Bartlett Bennett and his older brother Bernard G. Bennett, Jr.
George, also known as 'Billy' when he was growing up, was a 1961 graduate of Huntsville High School. He attended UAH and began his career as a draftsman at Martin Stamping & Stove, working his way up to Personnel Manager. In the early 1970s, he traded his desk job for the opportunity to join his friend David Byers as a partner in Byers Nursery Center on North Memorial Parkway. By the mid-1980s, he had purchased Byers' interest in the then 20-year old retail business, renaming it: Bennett Nurseries. George's son Jeff joined the business in 1989 and they spent the next 30 years working side by side. George could often be found seven days a week greeting customers with his warm smile, friendly nature and encyclopedic knowledge of plants. He had a knack for landscape design and was an accomplished speaker, both locally and nationally in gardening and design.
Professional honors include a Gold Award, the highest honor presented by the National Association of Homebuilders for Best landscaping; Honorary Life Membership of the Garden Clubs of Alabama; multiple Master Gardeners Awards; and the 2018 Nell Bragg Beautification Award for outstanding volunteer service and contribution to the City of Huntsville.
Over the years, George served in a number of civic organizations including State Director of the Jaycees; Huntsville Rotary Club; the Huntsville Beautification Board and the Huntsville Botanical Gardens Board.
George was a kind and gentle man, always willing to listen. Although quiet and reserved in public, he was known among family and friends for his keen sense of humor, his generous nature and, particularly with his children and grandchildren, his gift of telling a good story or reading aloud with great gusto. He loved opera, travel, National Public Radio, being outdoors in the sunshine & stopping to read every historic marker along the way.
The family would like to thank Hospice of North Alabama, and his caregiver JoNatha Seay of In Good Hands Home Health Care Services.
George William Bennett, age 78, of Huntsville went to be with his Lord on March 16, 2022 after a seven year battle with Primary Progressive Aphasia. He was a native of Huntsville and a longtime businessman.
Visitation will be from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Monday, March 21 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church. Mass will follow with Father Michael Mac Mahon officiating. Burial will follow at Maple Hill Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife Corrinne Cowley Bennett; his daughter Jeannie Bennett Russell and husband Danny; his son Jeffrey Strong Bennett and wife Geraldine; his stepchildren Nancy Lee Tate Chapman and husband Chris; William Tate, Jr. and wife Laura; grandchildren Olivia Cole, Jamieson & Rowe Bennett, Kersten O'Steen, Emilee Castrejon, Sophia Pospelov and Liam Tate; great-grandchildren Hayes O'Steen (for whom George and Corrinne acted as Guardians), Noah & Emma Castrejon; his brother Steven A. Bennett and wife Mary; and several nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents Bernard G. Bennett, Sr. and Jeannie Bartlett Bennett and his older brother Bernard G. Bennett, Jr.
George, also known as 'Billy' when he was growing up, was a 1961 graduate of Huntsville High School. He attended UAH and began his career as a draftsman at Martin Stamping & Stove, working his way up to Personnel Manager. In the early 1970s, he traded his desk job for the opportunity to join his friend David Byers as a partner in Byers Nursery Center on North Memorial Parkway. By the mid-1980s, he had purchased Byers' interest in the then 20-year old retail business, renaming it: Bennett Nurseries. George's son Jeff joined the business in 1989 and they spent the next 30 years working side by side. George could often be found seven days a week greeting customers with his warm smile, friendly nature and encyclopedic knowledge of plants. He had a knack for landscape design and was an accomplished speaker, both locally and nationally in gardening and design.
Professional honors include a Gold Award, the highest honor presented by the National Association of Homebuilders for Best landscaping; Honorary Life Membership of the Garden Clubs of Alabama; multiple Master Gardeners Awards; and the 2018 Nell Bragg Beautification Award for outstanding volunteer service and contribution to the City of Huntsville.
Over the years, George served in a number of civic organizations including State Director of the Jaycees; Huntsville Rotary Club; the Huntsville Beautification Board and the Huntsville Botanical Gardens Board.
George was a kind and gentle man, always willing to listen. Although quiet and reserved in public, he was known among family and friends for his keen sense of humor, his generous nature and, particularly with his children and grandchildren, his gift of telling a good story or reading aloud with great gusto. He loved opera, travel, National Public Radio, being outdoors in the sunshine & stopping to read every historic marker along the way.
The family would like to thank Hospice of North Alabama, and his caregiver JoNatha Seay of In Good Hands Home Health Care Services.
Obituary
George William Bennett, age 78, of Huntsville went to be with his Lord on March 16, 2022 after a seven year battle with Primary Progressive Aphasia. He was a native of Huntsville and a longtime businessman.
Visitation will be from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Monday, March 21 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church. Mass will follow with Father Michael Mac Mahon officiating. Burial will follow at Maple Hill Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife Corrinne Cowley Bennett; his daughter Jeannie Bennett Russell and husband Danny; his son Jeffrey Strong Bennett and wife Geraldine; his stepchildren Nancy Lee Tate Chapman and husband Chris; William Tate, Jr. and wife Laura; grandchildren Olivia Cole, Jamieson & Rowe Bennett, Kersten O'Steen, Emilee Castrejon, Sophia Pospelov and Liam Tate; great-grandchildren Hayes O'Steen (for whom George and Corrinne acted as Guardians), Noah & Emma Castrejon; his brother Steven A. Bennett and wife Mary; and several nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents Bernard G. Bennett, Sr. and Jeannie Bartlett Bennett and his older brother Bernard G. Bennett, Jr.
George, also known as 'Billy' when he was growing up, was a 1961 graduate of Huntsville High School. He attended UAH and began his career as a draftsman at Martin Stamping & Stove, working his way up to Personnel Manager. In the early 1970s, he traded his desk job for the opportunity to join his friend David Byers as a partner in Byers Nursery Center on North Memorial Parkway. By the mid-1980s, he had purchased Byers' interest in the then 20-year old retail business, renaming it: Bennett Nurseries. George's son Jeff joined the business in 1989 and they spent the next 30 years working side by side. George could often be found seven days a week greeting customers with his warm smile, friendly nature and encyclopedic knowledge of plants. He had a knack for landscape design and was an accomplished speaker, both locally and nationally in gardening and design.
Professional honors include a Gold Award, the highest honor presented by the National Association of Homebuilders for Best landscaping; Honorary Life Membership of the Garden Clubs of Alabama; multiple Master Gardeners Awards; and the 2018 Nell Bragg Beautification Award for outstanding volunteer service and contribution to the City of Huntsville.
Over the years, George served in a number of civic organizations including State Director of the Jaycees; Huntsville Rotary Club; the Huntsville Beautification Board and the Huntsville Botanical Gardens Board.
George was a kind and gentle man, always willing to listen. Although quiet and reserved in public, he was known among family and friends for his keen sense of humor, his generous nature and, particularly with his children and grandchildren, his gift of telling a good story or reading aloud with great gusto. He loved opera, travel, National Public Radio, being outdoors in the sunshine & stopping to read every historic marker along the way.
The family would like to thank Hospice of North Alabama, and his caregiver JoNatha Seay of In Good Hands Home Health Care Services.
George William Bennett, age 78, of Huntsville went to be with his Lord on March 16, 2022 after a seven year battle with Primary Progressive Aphasia. He was a native of Huntsville and a longtime businessman.
Visitation will be from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Monday, March 21 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church. Mass will follow with Father Michael Mac Mahon officiating. Burial will follow at Maple Hill Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife Corrinne Cowley Bennett; his daughter Jeannie Bennett Russell and husband Danny; his son Jeffrey Strong Bennett and wife Geraldine; his stepchildren Nancy Lee Tate Chapman and husband Chris; William Tate, Jr. and wife Laura; grandchildren Olivia Cole, Jamieson & Rowe Bennett, Kersten O'Steen, Emilee Castrejon, Sophia Pospelov and Liam Tate; great-grandchildren Hayes O'Steen (for whom George and Corrinne acted as Guardians), Noah & Emma Castrejon; his brother Steven A. Bennett and wife Mary; and several nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents Bernard G. Bennett, Sr. and Jeannie Bartlett Bennett and his older brother Bernard G. Bennett, Jr.
George, also known as 'Billy' when he was growing up, was a 1961 graduate of Huntsville High School. He attended UAH and began his career as a draftsman at Martin Stamping & Stove, working his way up to Personnel Manager. In the early 1970s, he traded his desk job for the opportunity to join his friend David Byers as a partner in Byers Nursery Center on North Memorial Parkway. By the mid-1980s, he had purchased Byers' interest in the then 20-year old retail business, renaming it: Bennett Nurseries. George's son Jeff joined the business in 1989 and they spent the next 30 years working side by side. George could often be found seven days a week greeting customers with his warm smile, friendly nature and encyclopedic knowledge of plants. He had a knack for landscape design and was an accomplished speaker, both locally and nationally in gardening and design.
Professional honors include a Gold Award, the highest honor presented by the National Association of Homebuilders for Best landscaping; Honorary Life Membership of the Garden Clubs of Alabama; multiple Master Gardeners Awards; and the 2018 Nell Bragg Beautification Award for outstanding volunteer service and contribution to the City of Huntsville.
Over the years, George served in a number of civic organizations including State Director of the Jaycees; Huntsville Rotary Club; the Huntsville Beautification Board and the Huntsville Botanical Gardens Board.
George was a kind and gentle man, always willing to listen. Although quiet and reserved in public, he was known among family and friends for his keen sense of humor, his generous nature and, particularly with his children and grandchildren, his gift of telling a good story or reading aloud with great gusto. He loved opera, travel, National Public Radio, being outdoors in the sunshine & stopping to read every historic marker along the way.
The family would like to thank Hospice of North Alabama, and his caregiver JoNatha Seay of In Good Hands Home Health Care Services.
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